The Director of the Intermountain Region, Stephen Martin, has announced the cancellation of the July 01, 2003, solicitation for guided snowmobile tours of Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway.

On December 16, 2003, Judge Emmet G. Sullivan ordered the National Park Service (NPS) to follow the rule published on January 22, 2001. This rule will phase out recreational snowmobile use in the three parks following the current winter season in favor of guided tours via mass transit snowcoaches. For this winter season, the rule provides specific limits for guided snowmobile tours in Yellowstone National Park and requires all entries to be commercially guided.

NPS concessions regulations allow the NPS to cancel a solicitation at any time prior to the award of a concessions contract if such action is appropriate in the public interest (36 CFR 51.11). "Because the guided snowmobile tours solicited in the prospectus could occur for only this winter season, I have decided to cancel the solicitation for the guided snowmobile tours", Martin said.

The July 01, 2003 solicitation for guided snowcoach tours is consistent with Judge Sullivan's order; therefore, the NPS has awarded new concession contracts for these services. A total of sixteen concession contracts for guided snowcoach services have been awarded. This is an increase of seven over past years.

The NPS will issue temporary contracts to the holders of existing concession contracts authorizing guided snowmobile tours. The temporary contracts must expire at the end of this winter season. The NPS will fairly allocate the entries allowed under the rule of January 22, 2001, among the temporary contracts.

Information provided by the NPS

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